MINISTER GUILTY OF HANDING OUT POT AT CHURCH

LOS ANGELES (AP) - A minister with mail order credentials was found
guilty Thursday of distributing marijuana through his Hollywood church.

The Rev. Craig X Rubin, 41, the leader of the 420 Temple who has
appeared in episodes of the Showtime comedy "Weeds," faces up to four
years, eight months in prison for possessing marijuana for sale, said
Jane Robison, a district attorney's spokeswoman.

Rubin and some 400 members of his church believe marijuana is a
religious sacrament and burn and smoke pot during services.

He said he won't appeal his conviction.

"If my society believes I'm a danger and a threat, it's better off
without me," he said. "Hopefully, people will be nice to me inside. I
barely ever had a ticket before."

Rubin, who represented himself, is scheduled to be sentenced Aug.
17.

He said he feels less worried about himself than his seven
children.

"I go hiking with them every weekend. I read the Bible to them every
night," he said.

Rubin was ordained in 1990 by the Universal Life Church -- which, for
a fee, will ordain anyone. The Beverly Hills-born minister was
arrested last fall and freed after posting $20,000 bail.